Dr. Murray Feingold: The facts about suicide

Wednesday

Jun 11, 2014 at 5:28 PMJun 12, 2014 at 2:52 PM

By Dr. Murray FeingoldMore Content Now

Suicide is a common occurrence. It is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States and the fifth-leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults.Even though suicide occurs quite often, there is still a great deal the medical profession doesn’t know about it. This is unfortunate because frequently, there is an existing relationship between individuals who commit suicide and their physicians. One study showed that nearly 40 percent of adults, one month prior to committing suicide, visited their primary care physician.The United States Preventative Services Task Force recently updated its position on the subject of suicide. They concluded that certain segments of the population are at greater risk of committing suicide. The highest suicide rates are present in Native Americans and Alaskan natives.Also at a higher risk are those who have post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and depression.Social factors also play a role, including having a difficult childhood, being unemployed or socially isolated or having a family history of suicide.Certain military personnel are also at increased risk. Those who have post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries or were recently discharged from military service.Various screening tests are available to help identify individuals who are at increased risk of committing suicide. But, how accurate are such tests? The task force concluded that there is not enough evidence available to either recommend or not recommend such testing for adolescents or young adults in primary care settings.The National Center for Injury Prevention also has some interesting facts about suicide. Of every 25 suicide attempts, only one is successful. The medical and work-loss costs of unsuccessful suicides are estimated to be about $6.5 billion each year.Four times more men than women commit suicide. The use of firearms is the most common method of suicide in men; in women, it is poison.Statistics are of interest but what they don’t reveal is the turmoil, angst and anguish that people with suicidal ideation endure. And, when suicides do take place, family members and close friends are also severely affected.Therefore, it is essential that more research be done to determine better ways to prevent suicides from occurring in the first place.——Massachusetts-based Dr. Murray Feingold is the physician in chief of The Feingold Center for Children, medical editor of WBZ-TV and WBZ radio, and president of the Genesis Fund. The Genesis Fund is a nonprofit organization that funds the care of children born with birth defects, mental retardation and genetic diseases.